The Deep End

The Deep End Trailer

The Deep End

Show Notes

Brain implants for depression: It sounds like science fiction but it’s real. The Deep End, a new podcast from Science News, will give you a glimpse of what it’s like to live with electrodes in your brain. It might change how you think about mental health, the brain and what makes you you.

More from The Deep End

Oct 20, 2026

Jules lost his voice. Then AI gave it back. Voice-cloning technology can now recreate voices for people who can no longer speak — raising a remarkable possibility: How much of a person can a synthetic voice restore?

Oct 13, 2026

Jules is losing his ability to talk. Now he faces a decision that could silence his natural voice for good. A voice carries more than words — emotion, identity, even a smile. As Jules weighs his choice, we explore what makes a voice so personal, and why letting it go can be so difficult.

Oct 6, 2026

Jules Rodriguez has always had a lot to say — as a dad, podcaster and stand-up comedian. As ALS takes away his ability to speak, we discover why voices are so deeply tied to who we are and what it’s like to face losing your own.

Sep 29, 2026

What if you lost your voice? Today, AI can recreate it, and brain implants can turn your thoughts into speech. This season of The Deep End: Talk to Me follows the people living through these vocal transformations — and asks what these remarkable technologies can teach us about why our voices matter at all.

Mar 24, 2025

Jon Nelson shares how he’s doing these days, now that his depression is gone.

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